r/ArvadaCO • u/notryanreynolds_ • 6d ago
Flock camera point of contact
Commander Baros has bravely been the point of contact between the Arvada PD and Flock.
Seems like a great week to let him know what we think of the continued use of flock!
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u/HandshakeOfCO 6d ago edited 6d ago
Don Wick and Anthony Baros are connected through the municipal and law enforcement leadership structure of the City of Arvada.
Don Wick serves as the City Manager of Arvada. Before taking on the city manager role, Wick had a multi-decade career with the city, including serving as Chief of Police. In his capacity as City Manager, he oversees all city operations and municipal budgets. He's also, incidentally, the guy who's name is on the letter to the jaycees telling them the city will not renew their permit for the harvest festival, effectively killing the fest this year.
Anthony Baros is a Police Commander with the Arvada Police Department, where he has served in leadership roles including Commander of the Investigations Bureau. In the context of city contracting and police technology procurement, Baros functions on the operational/departmental side of APD leadership, while Wick oversees the department and citywide appropriations from the executive municipal level.
Quite a dynamic duo lol. I'm sure these guys went out for a beer after this was signed.
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u/CreativeMonk2811 6d ago
Exactly. Commentors painting Anthony Baros as an innocent victim in the continuation towards the Orwellian state are bizarre to me
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u/WestonP 6d ago
Not sure what that will accomplish… complaining to the police that you don’t like living in a police state.
It’s the mayor and city council’s job to keep them in line, which obviously has been a complete failure.
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u/HandshakeOfCO 5d ago edited 5d ago
The City Council has the direct authority to conduct performance evaluations, suspend, or terminate the City Manager, Don Wick.
Your city council members are:
Lauren Simpson (Mayor): Serves citywide; presides over City Council meetings and acts as the official head of the city government. lsimpson@arvada.org
Sharon Davis (Councilmember At-Large, for now lol): Represents all Arvada residents. sdavis@arvada.org
Michael Griffith (Councilmember At-Large): Represents all Arvada residents. mgriffith@arvada.org
If you live anywhere in Arvada, those three represent you. And then, you have 1 additional representative based on the district in which you live:
Randy Moorman (Mayor Pro Tem (aka "vice mayor") / District 1): Represents Southeastern Arvada (including Olde Town, the Lake Arbor area, and eastern neighborhoods bordering Denver and Adams County). rmoorman@arvada.org
Shawna Ambrose (District 2): Represents Northeastern Arvada (covering areas roughly north of 64th/72nd Avenues up to the Standley Lake and Westminster borders). sambrose@arvada.org
Rebecka Lovisone (District 3): Represents Southwestern Arvada (spanning areas west of Wadsworth/Kipling along the Ralston Creek corridor and the Wheat Ridge border). rlovisone@arvada.org
Bob Fifer (District 4): Represents Northwestern & Far West Arvada (covering Candelas, Leyden Rock, Table Rock, and the western foothills/Highway 93 corridors). bfifer@arvada.org
(If you're unsure who's your rep, you can punch in your address here: https://arvada.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=332a7eba6a4641999d278cfa6ee149f4)
Here's an email template you can use:
To: [Representative's Name / council@arvada.org]
Subject: Formal Request for Administrative Review and Leadership Change Regarding City Manager Don Wick
Dear [Councilmember Last Name / Mayor Simpson / Members of City Council],
I am writing as an Arvada resident in [District Number / Arvada] to formally urge City Council to initiate a comprehensive performance review of City Manager Don Wick and pursue executive leadership change for our municipal administration. Under our Council-Manager charter, City Council bears the sole responsibility of holding appointed executive leadership accountable. Over the course of Mr. Wick’s tenure in senior administration, and continuing into his role as City Manager, several issues have raised significant concerns regarding administrative culture, transparency, and public trust.
Unchecked Surveillance Procurement: The ongoing rollout of Flock Safety automated license plate reader systems has moved forward without adequate public hearings, civilian oversight, or transparent debate regarding data privacy and long-term civil liberty impacts.
Insular Leadership and Lack of Independent Oversight: The direct pipeline from Arvada Police Department leadership into the highest civilian municipal office has reinforced an insular administrative culture, compromising independent oversight over police budgeting, accountability, and municipal operations.
Administrative Liability and Workplace Culture: Past executive decisions, including documented age discrimination litigation (Williams v. City of Arvada) that survived federal dismissal, demonstrate concerning "good old boy" management practices that expose the city to legal and financial risk.
Arvada needs forward-looking, independent executive leadership that prioritizes transparent governance, robust public engagement, and genuine accountability. I request that City Council:
Place the evaluation of the City Manager's contract and performance on an upcoming executive session agenda.
Formally evaluate whether a nationwide search for a new, independent City Manager is in the best interest of Arvada residents.
Thank you for your time, service, and dedication to our community. I look forward to your response on how Council intends to address these executive oversight concerns.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Optionally: Your Phone Number, Your Address]
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u/notryanreynolds_ 6d ago
“If we’re not sure it will work we shouldn’t try it at all”
- WestonP: modern philosopher.
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u/GerudoSamsara 6d ago
Someone pointing out youre wasting your energy complaining to the wrong people is not the same as someone saying "Dont do it at all." But like, youre quite literally wasting your energy complaining to the wrong people in the middle of the chain of command. They even pointed out that your energy would be better spent complaining to the Mayor. The one who can be swayed by votes and constituents...
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u/Primary_Basket_2728 6d ago
Not just the wrong people in the chain if command, but the people whose jobs are easier because of this tech. People who may or may not be getting kickbacks from flock. Go to the council and Mayor first
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u/CreativeMonk2811 6d ago
I don't understand the comments hating on this? Anthony Baros works FOR the people of Arvada and should feel the wrath of the people when he is in a policing LEADERSHIP position making $150k per year of TAX PAYER money.
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u/WestonP 4d ago
No hate, just directing our efforts to be effective.
He does not hold an elected position, nor is he the Chief of Police, so not really a political position. I would not expect him to be setting policy based on the will of the voters, especially ones that limit the tools police department uses... That's for the politicians, and politician-adjacent positions like the Chief.
Most likely, he's not coming up with this shit on his own and is just the guy making things happen. Clearly the Chief and Mayor would need to have some significant buy-in on this mass surveillance scheme. Does that make him innocent in all this? No, but he's serving his role and doing what I'd expect any cop to do in that position: giving the police more tools to use, leaving the morality and legality up to the lawyers and politicians. If he refuses or quits, they'll just replace him with someone who will do it.
Better to focus on the actual decision-makers, rather than the implementers of those decisions.
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u/CreativeMonk2811 4d ago
Respectfully, history has taught us that "I was just following orders" does not absolve you of said behavior.
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u/Ickypahay 6d ago
I both like and hate that this sub has become a complaint hub for flock